The Hindu: New Delhi:Tuesday, June 18, 2013.
Moving
further towards greater transparency in governance, the government has extended
the facility of e-filing of RTI applications to President and Vice-President’s
secretariat, and Foreign Ministry among others.
Citizens will
also be able to seek information online from ministries of Food Processing
Industries, Health & Family Welfare, Home Affairs, Information &
Broadcasting and Road Transport & Highways by exercising their Right to
Information.
The
Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), which acts as nodal ministry for
implementation of Right to Information Act, has launched a website --
www.rtionline.gov.in -- to facilitate e-filing of applications and payment of
fees.
As a pilot
project, the facility was restricted to DoPT only but late last month it was
extended to Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of Agriculture and
Cooperation, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries and
Department of Consumer Affairs and Department of Food and Public Distribution.
Now it has
been extended to other public authorities like Department of Agricultural
Research & Education, Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Department
of Commerce, Department of Disinvestment, Department of Public Enterprises and
Ministry of Culture also, a DoPT official said.
The Centre’s
flagship Right to Information Act, which was enacted in 2005, mandates timely
response within 30 days to citizen requests for government information.
One has to pay a fee of Rs 10 for seeking information.
The
government plans to extend e-filing of RTI applications to all central
ministries or departments through the website.
At present,
the text of an application that can be uploaded at the prescribed column (on
the website while filing application) is limited to 500 words only. In case, an
application contains more than 500 words, then it can be uploaded as an
attachment.
The
initiative for filing of RTI pleas through electronic mode is getting good
response from information seekers.
However, the
department has asked people not to file information related to state
governments.
“Please do
not file RTI applications through this portal for the public authorities under
the state governments, including government of National Capital territory of
Delhi. If filed, the application would be returned, without refund of amount,”
said a note put up on the website.
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